Coyote Lingers

In the last installment of this story, a friend and I were breakfasting in a restaurant when Coyote appeared, told a humorous story, and performed a healing for my friend.  The story continues:

Coyote looked at my friend. “Well done, don’t you think?” he said. He was looking pretty proud of himself.

Coyote Returns

I was sitting with a friend in a restaurant. We were sitting at one of those extra-tall, round tables where your legs dangle from extra-tall chairs. My friend, and elder, was talking about how all the abuse he suffered as a kid had been plaguing him lately. I was wishing I could do more for him.

About then, Coyote walked up to the table. I was very happy to see him, even though, more of than not, his presence brings trouble. “I’ve a story for you”, he said.

Solace for A Suffering World

I spend many of my days sitting with people who are courageously finding their way in our challenging times. Often, they are very aware of the state of the world. They may feel isolated in their deep caring. Often they wonder whether the pain they feel is their own, or is that of the world.

There can be no doubt that Pachamama, Mother Earth, is suffering.

So are innumerable beings. How could we not, if our hearts and spirits are open, feel their pain, fear, confusion, and anger? How could we not hear their calls for aid?

Salmon and Raven

“She’s (Raven) always minding the business of the rest of the world, eavesdropping, weighing voice and action against consequence. She minds the business of the two-leggeds the most. They’re all a bunch of loose  cannons. Humans are capable of wanting things which defy their needs, counter their interests and destroy the very spiritual sensibility the were given when they came into this world. The original humans of Turtle Island were there in the sky world when we all received our original instructions. We (salmon) were there. Does anyone remember? It seems to me that it is incumbent on the original humans to share this piece of vital information. Oh well, who am I to judge, you are returning to the same place you came from and your grandmothers eagerly await your return – they will remember how to deal with you. The only responsibility I have right now is to talk with you.”

From “Where Love Winds Itself Around Desire”, by Lee Maracle. In First Fish, First People, Roche and McHutchison, eds, University of Washington Press, 1998.

One of my friends, an Abenaki healer, called earlier. It seems she had been watching “testosterone driven” hunters on t.v.. These hunters were shooting wolves and bear from helicopters. My friend was upset. After all, bear and wolves are sacred.

Deep Stories, Shamans, and Turtle

We’ve been thinking about story.

Jennie is preparing for another trip to teach Playback Theatre and Expressive Arts Therapy in Bangladesh and India, as well as to teach a workshop on Narrative Therapy in NYC. I’m getting ready to teach “Arts and Social Change”. We’ve decided pretty much everything we do is centered on story.

The Candle Lighter Award

Back in December Kate Kresse decided to create an award for bloggers who ” light a candle in the darkness that envelopes us all at times.” She wrote:

There are a number of blog/blogger awards. I began to think about my purpose for blogging. I mean the title of my blog reveals a lot about my mission: Believe Anyway. I have blogged before that I chose the title to remind myself to stay optimistic. My purpose is to light a candle in the darkness that envelopes us all at times. I want to lighten loads and light the way. I gravitate towards positive people and positive blogs.  I want to start a blog award that reflects my love for the positive in the blogosphere.

The Work of Epiphany

Traffic, Chennai, India

Yesterday marked the Feast of the Epiphany. Epiphany, or Twelfth Night, is the final day of the Twelve Days of Christmas. It memorializes the arrival of the wise men at the crib of the infant Jesus. An epiphany is a sudden insight or awakening to the deep meaning of something. The Christmas story suggests the wise men, who were not Jewish,  and perhaps not all men, suddenly realized they were witnessing a great miracle.

The New Year: We Are Still Here!

The festival of New Year awakens us to the changing seasons. The days are longer; the sun rises higher in the southern sky, inching its way north. In an ordinary year, the cold would strengthen, then give way to thaw, before settling back in for the duration of the winter. This year, cold spells have been brief, and thaw has dominated.

Christmas

Last evening, even under a thick cloud cover, darkness came noticeably later.

This morning, following a night of light snow, we awoke to a white world. The sun plays shadow games with passing clouds. Today the air is warmer than yesterday.

Yesterday we awoke early and went to the Unitarian Church to serve breakfast to all who sought warmth and food. The morning was bitterly cold, and many homeless and marginalized persons arrive to catch a free, plentiful meal. The event also drew large numbers of people from the congregation, as well as the larger community. Serving this Christmas breakfast has become a family activity in our household, and we enjoy getting up early for the event.

Christmas Eve

Yesterday afternoon the rain changed to light snow, which continues as flurries this morning. The ground is lightly coated in white.

In the late afternoon, a neighborhood family came over to make peanut butter pine cones for the animals.

The kids had been asking about this activity for a couple of weeks. Jennie began the tradition the year we moved here. Yesterday we the 5th edition. The participants change, yet the tradition continues.